How Long Does Bodyshop Repair Take? An Honest Timeline

Realistic 2026 timescales

• Same day: paintless dent removal, SMART repair, kerbed alloy
• 3 to 5 days: single-panel respray, bumper replacement
• 5 to 10 days: multi-panel insurance repair with parts in stock
• 2 to 4 weeks: structural repair, ADAS calibration, imported parts
• 4 to 8 weeks: heavy structural on EVs, HGV panels, or discontinued parts

What actually slows things down

Ninety percent of delays are one of three things: parts backorder, insurance authorisation, or an ADAS calibration that needs a dry runway.

Parts backorder

Post-Brexit lead times for OEM parts sit at 5 to 15 working days for most makes. Chinese-built EVs (MG, BYD, ORA) can hit 8 weeks. We order the moment your car arrives in the workshop, not when we start work.

Insurance authorisation

Your insurer will not release funds until the engineer signs off on the report. Most engineers work to a 48-hour SLA. We chase daily.

ADAS calibration

Radar and camera-based safety systems need calibrating after any front-end repair. Dynamic calibration needs a dry, flat road. Wet British winter = potential delay.

How the Solution Repair Group beats the average

Our network average cycle time is 6.4 days against a UK industry benchmark of 9.1 days. We hit that by ordering parts on arrival, running two paint cycles per day, and having our own ADAS calibration bay.

Frequently asked

Do I get a courtesy car for the whole time?

Yes — a like-for-like on every insurance claim, from key-in to key-out.

What if parts do not arrive?

We source aftermarket-equivalent from a second supplier and get insurer sign-off. Never leave you waiting for a single supplier to breathe.

Can you rush a job?

Sometimes. Small SMART repairs and scratches can jump the queue. Full insurance repairs sit in a fixed workflow to stay accredited.